Tag Archives: X-Plus

The Japanese collectible company, X-Plus, has announced the Monster Total Advance 50th Anniversary Set (Destroy All Monsters), an 11 figure set, and a new Large Monster Series Flying Ghidorah.

Japanese vinyl is a highly specialized area of collecting that I haven’t ventured into, as a collector or on this website. I frankly lack the expertise to discuss these figures in the detail they deserve. But when I saw this accumulated collection from one of my very favorite Toho kaiju films, I had to dip my toes in and share the news with my fellow monster kid collectors.

X-Plus is headquartered in Osaka, Japan and the company strives to provide high-quality statues and figures at ‘affordable’ prices. They make unbelievably realistic movie-accurate figures from our favorite kaiju movies. These figures are striking in their movie-accuracy but they are not cheap.

The 11 piece set includes Godzilla, Minya, Baragon, Manda, Anguirus, Kumonga, Varan, Mothra (larva), Rodan, Gorosaurus, and a new Flying King Ghidorah.

All of these figures, except Ghidorah, have been released previously, and all are Large Monster Series figures, which means they are approximately 10 inches high. X-Plus collectors often refer to this line as the “25cm Series”. These figures are being re-issued in the United States by Diamond so you can pre-order them at your local comic or collectible shop.

Below, I’ve included links to pre-order some of these figures through Entertainment Earth and I’ve also included links to current eBay auctions and Amazon for previous releases of these same figures.

Large Monster Series X-Plus Flying King Ghidorah

Ghidorah is 18 inches tall and comes with a base and background. The set ships in three boxes. It’s typical that some assembly is required with X-Plus figures.

Select versions of this figure will include a fabric Mount Fuji backdrop (the location of the final battle in Destroy All Monsters). No word on the size of the backdrop, but it looks pretty big (see lead image of this article). Make sure you are clear from any seller if the item you are ordering includes the backdrop or not prior to purchasing. This vinyl will have a limited run so it is possible that it will sell out before the scheduled end date. X-Plus says, though, that if there is enough interest in more, they will follow up with a second run. Preorders will end on October 2, 2018 as long as they don’t reach the maximum number for the run. It is expected to ship November 2018.

Large Monster Series X-Plus Rodan

Originally a stand-along Kaiju character separate from the Godzilla franchise, Rodan is a powerful Pteranodon that allies with Godzilla to save Monster Island and the world from monstrous threats. Here, this Rodan 1964 Version Kaiju Vinyl Figure – Previews Exclusive recreates Rodan as he appeared in 1964’s kaiju film Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. In excellent detail, Rodan measures about 24-inches wide x 15 3/4-inches tall x 7-inches long!

Large Monster Series X-Plus Manda & Mothra Larva

Manda measures about 18-inches long and comes with a faux rock to help support its upraised head and also serves to reproduce his pose in that final scene at Mount Fuji at the end of the film. The Mothra Larva is a little over 9-inches long, and also comes with a rock base of its own.

Large Monster Series X-Plus Kumonga

X-Plus captures the look of the monstrous Kumonga as he appeared in the 1967 film, Son of Godzilla! Also known to Western audiences as Spiga or Spiega, the leg span of this vinyl figure is a massive 20-inches long!

Large Monster Series X-Plus Baragon and Varan

From classic 1968 film, Destroy All Monsters, comes this Godzilla Kaiju 8-Inch Series Baragon and Varan 1968 Version Sofubi Vinyl Figures – Previews Exclusive! This 2-packl includes your favorite kaiju from the movie. Baragon stands about 12-inches tall and Varan is sculpted in scale and comes with a rock base for display.

Large Monster Series X-Plus Gorosaurus

As a gigantic dinosaur resembling a Tyrannosaurus Rex, this Gorosaurus is based on his appearance in 1968’s kaiju epic, Destroy All Monsters! The Godzilla Kaiju Series Gorosaurus 1968 Version Sofubi Vinyl Figure – Previews Exclusive stands approximately 10-inches tall with an overall length of over 15-inches to the tip of his tail. This beautifully sculpted, hand-painted vinyl figure captures every detail of this supporting kaiju in all his glory.

Large Monster Series X-Plus Anguirus

Godzilla’s spiny nemesis lives again! Once one of Godzilla’s most fearsome foes, the monster Anguirus became the mighty Godzilla’s trusted ally. This Previews Exclusive Godzilla Anguirus 1968 Version 12-Inch Vinyl Figure sculpts Anguirus based on his appearance in 1968’s Destroy All Monsters and measures 12-inches long, 24-inches long with his tail attached!

Large Monster Series X-Plus Godzilla & Minya 1968

Apparently, no re-issue has been announced for the Large Monster Series Godzilla figure, which was originally released November 2011 and is super cool! He stands 9 inches tall. There is a version that also includes an in-scale Minya figure (6 inches tall).

I have to admit that the super realism of these figures really intrigues me because they look so much like the movie versions of the characters. As a collector of mostly vintage toys, I have a deep affection for some degree of whimsy in my less-than-accurate designs. I respect the immense level of talent that goes into designing and sculpting these modern figures and it there’s any collectible category I’d be tempted to wading into it’s these remarkable movie-accurate Toho kaiju. What are your thoughts on these types of collectibles?

The King of the Monster Collectibles

Toho Studios gave us the King of the Monsters in 1954 and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. While the monster’s character has evolved and morphed as many times as the monster suit, Godzilla remains an incredibly popular as evidenced by the commercial success of the Legendary Pictures 2014 release Godzilla. Toho purists might have been distressed by the American reboot but they are counting on the 2016 release of the next Toho installment in the Godzilla franchise.

The breadth of Godzilla, and related kaiju, collectibles is pretty overwhelming. With the ever growing popularity of Japanese vinyl and sofubi. kaiju figure collectibles of every size, shape and color are available. In this week’s series, we’ll focus primarily on Monster Kid related collectibles from the 1960s and 70s during the Showa period of Godzilla’s film catalog. In future posts, we’ll explore the modern collectible market and the impact of Godzilla and his pals in this increasingly popular urban vinyl category.

Collecting Godzilla

I highly recommend both of these books for anyone interested in Godzilla and other kaiju collectibles.

Collecting the Rondo Awards 2015 Best Toy Category – Part 6

X-Plus War of Gargantuas Vinyl Figures

I continue my series profiling each of the 2015 Rondo Awards nominees for Best Toy/Model/Collectible category with the X-Plus set of vinyl figures from Toho’s 1966 kaiju classic, War of the Gargantuas.

PHOTO: JOHN STANOWSKI / KAIJU ADDICTS

NOTE: I recently wrote a Monster Kid Memories piece about the impact War of the Gargantuas had on me as a formative Monster Kid when my 5-year-old self tried (unsuccessfully) to watch this movie after convincing my parents to let me stay up late to watch it on TV. This event was extremely influential in my life-long passion for monsters of the movies. While I don’t consider this one of my favorite monster, or even kaiju, movies, it certainly is one of the most influential. If you’re interested, you can read this post by clicking here.

The purpose of this series is two-fold:

review the nominees for Best Toy, Model, Collectible category in the 201 5 Rondo Awards

provide current availability and pricing

I’m not an expert on vinyl figures. I’m intrigued by them and have been tempted for years to dabble though the price points have kept me at bay so far. To date, I’ve continued to focus my limited collecting budget on vintage collectibles but if there is a category that could pull me into modern collectibles (other than comics) it is these high-quality, realistic Japanese vinyl figures from companies like X-Plus.

X-Plus, the company behind these amazing figures, specializes in highly detailed soft vinyl figures from the Godzilla, Gamera and Ultraman franchises as well as other Japanese anime and fantasy films.

Product Details

MSRP: $170.00 (sold out at retail)

“PX Previews Exclusive” on front of package

2014 Diamond release re-issue

Material: Soft Vinyl

Series: TOHO 30CM

Sanda 12″, Gaira 10.5″

Vinyl figure collectors are a passionate lot, especially kaiju vinyl figure collectors. Given my lack of expertise in this category, I’m going to defer to two of the more passionate collectors in this field.

First up is this comprehensive video review by Richard Eso from his Fresh Vinyl channel on YouTube:

Next, I highly recommend you click the link below and head over to kaijuaddicts.com to read John Stanowski’s review of this figure set. John is the voice behind Kaijuaddicts.com, which is a gold-mine of information for anyone interested in learning more about X-Plus, vinyl kaiju figures and collecting vinyl in general. If you’re like me, after you read this review you’ll want to bookmark this site and spend some more time on it–ALOT more time in my case as I’ve found this to be a very informative and readable blog for kaiju vinyl collectors.

Where to Find the X-Plus War of Gargantuas Vinyl Figures

In short, good luck!

Both of the reviewers above made it clear that collecting vinyl figures means pre-ordering from Previews or through your local Diamond retailer or face the immediate mark up of the reseller marketplace.

Since the standard process is to pre-order these figures, it’s not surprising that my research didn’t find any in stock at the usual sites. It appears that another release is in the works, but X-Plus and Diamond have not yet provided specific details on the date. Since this is a fairly new release, I would expect individual items to begin show up on auction sites and in dedicated collector marketplaces from time to time, but given the passion of X-Plus collectors and the desirability of these particular figures, expect to pay a handsome markup if you are lucky enough to find these guys for sale.

Summary

I’ve learned a lot about soft vinyl figures and X-Plus in writing this post and my interest is piqued.

I’m definitely going to keep an eye out on upcoming releases and pre-order through my local comic shop if something catches my eye — for example, X-Plus just released a gorgeous diecast model of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea which I would LOVE to have since that is one of my all-time-favorite movies. Just released in January 2015, t’s selling for $350 on Amazon and over $500 on Amazon

I can certainly see why any vinyl kaiju or X-Plus collector would want to have these figures in their collection. Not only is War of the Gargantuas one of the best non-Godzilla kaiju films from the 1960s (my opinion) but these figures just look great. I understand some of the issues with the paint jobs, but as a collector of vintage monster toys, I’m in awe of the realism and detail of these guys and X-Plus figures in general. The paint jobs certainly are minor in my opinion

I’d love to have these Gargantua figures in my collection thought I doubt I’ll be shelling out $500 or more for them in the near future.